


The Moon and Sun Dynamic

by SinMints



Category: Harvest Moon: Animal Parade
Genre: M/M, Rating changed for Language, Slow Burn, alcohol mention, dont rp two opposing personality types in a group chat at the same time it hecks you up, lukes an idiot ofc, the slowest burn, the story of this ship is hella long, wizard has some social anxiety issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2018-04-29 21:08:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5142503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinMints/pseuds/SinMints
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The moon and sun, two beings destined to never meet. However, a turn of fate brings them together one day and... </p><p> </p><p>the sun's kind of annoying... and the moon's kinda spooky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sleep, or lack-thereof

Insomnia had never been an issue for Luke. Play hard, sleep hard. It was sort of his policy, so said his Pops. And Pops was ALWAYS right! Usually.

However, tonight was a mess of sheets tangled around limbs, pillows lost to the hardwood beneath his creaky bed. He’s absolutely gotta remember to fix that.  
Luke flipped to his side and squinted into the beams of blinding light the moon sent through the curtains as if to mock him.

“Stupid moon!” He groaned quietly under his breath as he pushed himself up from the downy mattress.

You could ask anyone in town and they would agree that Luke was always upbeat and positive. He liked being that way. It was the most fun! However, losing sleep to some invisible unknown force was making him a little grumpy. He didn’t much care for being grumpy, but here he was, wide awake in bed cursing the moon when he could be floating off into dreamland. He was really looking forward to continuing his previous dream, where he and a winged bear teamed up to fight a giant humanoid volcano!

A quick glance toward his clock caused him to flinch- Almost 3 AM. He would probably, definitely, UNDOUBTEDLY, be beyond tired in the morning. How was he supposed to do his work if he was so tired?? Not that he doubted himself, of course not! Collecting lumber might just prove a little less… fun… than usual.

The hem of his blanket that he had been rolling between his fingers had become less interesting than he had hoped after a few moments. What was he supposed to do at such an hour? Working on any of his projects would wake Pops and Bo, so that was out of the question. Everything besides the bar was probably closed and Kathy’d probably give him a killer side-eye if he wandered in this late.

He pushed strands of dark blue from his eyes and let out a resigned sigh. Only one option now. A quick change of clothes and some careful footsteps and he was out the door, beloved axe in hand.

\-----------------

It was rare that he made such a minor mistake. The simple action had become so practiced and frequent, he was sure he could do it with his eyes closed. He would never attempt something so foolish, however.

His nose scrunched up slightly as he sipped at the barely-too-strong coffee that had just finished brewing.

With a soft click, he set the mug on his desk and stretched himself out a bit before turning back to a small note on his desk, an order from one of the townspeople sloppily scrawled on it.

“1 luck chrm  
1 lov pemDant  
2 sachells of helaing hrrbs”

He scowled as he tried to read his own writing. Penmanship was always something he could pride himself on, but around the humans he always found himself mildly panicked and in a bit of a hurry to get them out of his home. However, they were unfortunately his only source of revenue.

He pushed away from his desk, chair scratching against the aged wood of the floor as he moved to collect his materials to fill his orders. He filled a basket with various herbs, flowers, stones, and other fresh ingredients and brought it to his desk before crossing back through the room.

One last ingredient was needed for the love pendant, always stored away from everything since it was apparently poisonous to the mortals. He reached for the drawer of the table in the back of the room. It was, of course, empty.

“One Fugue Mushroom…” He sighed. Looks like he was going out tonight after all.

 

\-----------------

 

The Fugue forest was kinda spooky when it was dark. He wasn’t scared though, no way! The wind rustled the leaves and goosebumps crawled across his skin.

Nope. Not scary. Just a little chilly, that's all.

Luckily the moon he had cursed only a few moments ago was shining just enough to light his path as he found a nice number of trees, ripe for the chopping. Tonight he would collect as much as he could and come back for it in the morning. A solid plan, he thought, shaking his head proudly.

In only an hour he’d managed to collect a respectable amount of lumber, but he was still filled with energy and determination. He was awake, and he could do BETTER.

He took his stance in front of another tree, larger than the others, and pulled back, as ready as ever to feel the blade make contact with the sturdy trunk.

With all his power he unleashed another swing, just as a shadowed figure darted through the corner of his vision. He panicked, tripped, and missed.

He spun, axe flying out of his fingers as he fell to the ground. Sharp eyes darted every which way to locate both the figure and the whereabouts of his axe.

What was that? Who was that?

“Hello? Is someone there?  
….  
Do you maybe know where my axe went?”

Silence.  
Silence that drew on for a few moments before Luke got to his feet and dusted himself off.

“Guess not.”

Another gust of wind rustled the treetops before he began to move, but he was abruptly frozen.

“Over here…”

Slowly, he turned his head toward the sound of the voice.

“W-Who’s there?”

Silence.

A few steps forward and he could see the familiar glint of his axes blade, his eyes lighting up as he realized it was still intact. The handle, however, was split into two pieces, splintered badly at either end.

“Aw man!” He whined as he crossed the remaining distance quickly leaning down to grab the pieces of his prized possession, nearly forgetting the presence of the shadowy stranger.

“Uh…”

Lukes eyes flicked up and met with another pair; Mismatched, tired, and seemingly illuminated by the stars themselves.

A shrill shriek escaped the man as he bounded backward, nearly toppling over again. He clutched the broken handle as the figure stepped into the light, revealing a being Luke was definitely sure he had never seen before.

“W-who are you?”

“You ruined it…”

Luke looked down at the beaten up axe in his hands. Was the other man worried about it?

“No! It’ll be fine, I can fix it! Fixing stuff’s kinda like… what I do!” He pulled out the brightest smile he could muster, still wary of the other man. Nobody new had come to visit since Molly showed up… what could he be here for?

“No… not that… this.”

The man held out his hands, chunks of purple and pink mushroom gathered in the palms.

“DUDE! DON’T TOUCH THAT!!” Luke hurriedly stepped forward, smacking the bottoms of his hands and sending the pieces toppling to the dirt.

He had never seen someone look so offended without moving a single muscle in their face.

“...why.” The man replied, voice a bit lower.

He froze for a moment, words failing him as the other man's eyes bore into him.

“W-well! That’s a Fugue Mushroom!! They’re like, REALLY poisonous!!”

“I know… needed it…”

It took a few moments for Luke to process the man's words. He knew? But they were only local to this forest, and he certainly didn’t live here! On top of that, what use would he have for such a dangerous mushroom?

“Oh! Uh, Sorry. Did my axe land on it?” He asked as he stared down at the bits of mushroom on the ground. A large portion did look crushed…

“Yes… your fault I can’t go home…”

Luke swallowed hard. It was hard to tell the other man's expression in the darkness, but something told him it was best not to make any more trouble with him.

“Aw, Man! Sorry! I can help you find another one!”

“...”

“Then you can, y’know… go home sooner!”

Another gust of wind blew through before the man began to move, chains and jewelry jingling in the wind. Luke wondered how he hadn’t heard him coming.  
He scrambled to follow him.

The further into the forest they got the darker it became. Soon Luke found himself simply following his sound and the few faint glimmers of the beads of his coattails.

Perhaps he should re-evaluate his tendency to blindly trust people. Perhaps wandering into the darkest part of the forest in the dead of night with some strange man he had never seen before wasn’t his best idea. He should really do...something.

“So, uh. It’s true that they grow best in the dark, then?”

An uncomfortable span of time stretched between them before the other man replied.

“No… they glow...easier to see.”

“Really? The one in your hand wasn’t glowing, though!”

“... dead.”

Any plans Luke had had to continue with the conversation ended there.

The wind would occasionally let out another cool gust, and Luke eventually decided that he really should have brought a jacket or something. Summer would be ending soon, it seemed. 

If it weren’t for the painful silence and twinge of fear, he would be hopelessly bored. The scenery was mainly just pitch black with an occasional patch of leaves illuminated by a beam of moonlight that happened to slip between the treetops. Owls could be heard hooting from time to time, and crickets were chirping endlessly as if putting on some sort of poorly organized concert. Besides that, the only thing to be heard were their footsteps against the dirt, the other much lighter than his own.

“Ah…” The man mumbled as he came to a stop and gazed upward. The treetops left the sky exposed, stars speckling the sky, brighter than he’d ever seen.

“Woah!” Luke gasped as he admired the view, focus breaking when he felt the other man's eyes flick over to him for a brief moment. In that instance, he saw a star much too low to be in the sky.

He stepped forward, past the man, and further down the path. His pace quickened as he realized what it was that he saw.

“HEY! Uh.. Whatever your name is..! I found one of your mushrooms!” Luke cheered as he closed the gap and crouched down to observe it. He almost reached out to grab the mushroom, mesmerized by its faint bluish glow, but pulled back before he made that stupid mistake.

It wasn’t long before the other man arrived, and carefully removed the mushroom from the soil. The bluish glow remained, even as the fungus sat proudly in his palm.

“Wizard…”

“Hm?” Luke cocked his head slightly, not sure what he meant. Surely he wasn’t calling Luke a wizard for finding it! Or maybe he was nicknaming the mushroom itself… it WAS kind of cute…

“I am called… Wizard.”

It took everything he had to keep his jaw from dropping.

He had always heard stories of the mysterious Wizard that lived near the shores of Castanet. His Pops was the source for most of his knowledge, however. He had been told that the Wizard was ageless, as old as Castanet itself, perhaps older. The Wizard was a man to be feared, with a knowledge of many types of powerful magic, and he wasn’t afraid to curse those who cross him. Luke had always been glad he hadn’t run into the man. He had a habit of making terrible first impressions.

And boy did he.

“I….I..YOU!!!! YOU’RE WIZARD!?” Luke straightened up, taking a step back reflexively.  
“I’M SUPER SORRY, DUDE! About the mushroom! Again...” He swallowed hard, hoping the wizard wasn’t still angry with him.

Instead the other just squinted, pausing for just a moment, his expression unreadable.

“It is… okay.”

The Wizards eyes flicked down to the mushroom in his palms, then to the shadows to his right. 

It was okay? He wasn’t angry? Luke had always been a little afraid of things like dark magic and curses. Things he couldn’t fight with his own two fists… But it seemed he hadn’t caused any trouble this time, somehow. Maybe he didn’t have to be afraid of the Wizard.

An uncomfortable silence hung between them before the mysterious Wizard turned and began to walk in the direction they had come from, Luke trailing close behind.

\----------------

The strange man he’d met in the forest was rather annoying. He had only served to keep him out longer and give him a bit of a headache. Why was this human out so late anyway? They were usually sound asleep at this hour, so he had never run into them when searching for items and ingredients.

All he kept trying to do on the walk back was strike up conversation, asking again and again if he really wasn’t mad. 

No he wasn’t. Not yet.

“How old are you anyway? Have you really lived here since the beginning of time? Can you do real magic or just like, magic tricks or fortunes or whatever? Why’s your coat got so many tails?”

The questions simply kept coming. He was much too tired for this.

“Stop… I will answer…. please.” He sighed, hoping the answers would silence him.

“I have lived many years… Castanet was yet to flourish… in my earliest memories. I have studied… many magics. I.... can read fortunes… but I know much more…. powerful spells…. potions… curses.”

The man audibly flinched at the last word. Strange, but he fell silent.

“As for my coat… That is a tale… for another time.” 

Finally the pair exited the forest gates, ribbons of early morning sunlight pouring through the branches.

He hadn’t intended to stay out until dawn, not that it mattered much to him. Sleep wasn’t necessary for a being such as himself. The human however… looked ready to faint. Was missing a simple nights rest really so taxing? He shrugged.

 

He had intended to just continue walking home until they parted, but human customs bested him once more.

“See ya later, Wiz!” The man called as they reached the split in the path and he turned to say his goodbyes as well, taken aback slightly by the nickname and by the way the blue of his hair contrasted so starkly against the bright orange of the sunrise. Only then had he finally seen the man in more than monochromatic strands of starlight. His appearance seemed to match his personality, and something about that fact made him seem just slightly less intolerable.

“Yes… Goodbye.” He replied as he managed a weak wave before they went their separate ways, one toward the salty breeze of the shore, and one toward the pine and rubble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive had this idea floating around in my head since like 2012 lmao  
> updates will be a little slow, as i work full time and have like 900 hobbies but itll happen i swear
> 
> enjoy my cliches heh


	2. A simple, but heavy word.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke pays the wizard a fun and certainly not anxiety inducing visit and he has a lovely time yay

“Where exactly have you been all night?”

The gruff voice behind him caused Luke to flinch as he pressed the door of the shop shut with a loud click.

Well shit.

“H-Hey, Pops! Long time no see!” He chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as casually as possible as he hid the handle of his broken axe behind himself.

“That wasn’t an answer to my question, Luke.” His father sighed and crossed his arms, a familiar look of disappointment crossing his features as he stepped forward.  
Luke briefly wondered if he’d ever be as tall as his pops. The dude had at least half a foot on him! It was scary…

“I couldn’t sleep! That’s all! So I just, y’know… decided to get an early start today!” Luke added, stepping back as his father stepped closer. 

He hated when his pops did that! If anything could make him cave, that was it!  
There really wasn’t TOO much to hide, if he could just get to his room and hide this broken axe. It was true that it was an easy fix, but his father knew better than to think Luke was careless enough to break one of his most prized possessions.

His number one concern was keeping this new friend a secret.

“Well-” His father leaned down toward him, then quickly back. “-you don’t smell like the bar, so that’s one thing at least.” The old man seemed to relax a bit as he made his way back to the desk of the shop.  
“How much lumber did you collect?” His father added as he organized a few papers, likely today's work orders.

Shit. He’d only managed about an hours worth of work last night, and somehow pops always knew exactly how much lumber had been cut. There was no way Luke could bullshit his way outta this one.

“Uh… About 35 or so?” He laughed nervously, his pops never looking up at him.

There was a stretch of silence. There’s been a lot of those lately. He decided he hated it.

“Who were you with?”

The question caught him off guard, causing him to lose his grip on the axe behind him. It toppled loudly onto the wood floor, his father raising an eyebrow at him.

“Luke. Answer the question.”  
He pressed his lips into a flat line and pushed his bangs out of his eyes, only for them to fall back in place.

“N-Nobody, Pops! Just me! I spaced out in the forest again! You know how it is, haha…” A stressed chuckle escaped him as he retrieved the broken axe from the floor. “Plus, everyone would have been asleep anyway!”

After a few moments his father grunted, a familiar sound of reluctant acceptance, and Luke perked up. YES! HE BOUGHT IT!

After bounding blissfully into his room and setting the damaged axe on the table, he flopped into bed with a contented sigh. Luke hadn’t realized until now how heavy his own body had become. With heavy eyelids, he allowed himself to sink into the downy mattress. It seemed like ages since he last felt this tired. Maybe since the last time he’d gone mining with Owen and got overzealous and caught a cold on top of staying up all night crushing rocks and crystals at breakneck speeds. Nobody won that night.

Finally, dreamland crept in at last, but it was quickly ripped away by a different, higher voice.

“Luke, the shop opens in 20 minutes, get up!”

It WOULD be Bo. If anyone was more strict about schedules than his pops, it would definitely be Bo.

“And what did you do to your axe? Goddess, Luke! We have a lot to do today, you have to fix it asap!”

Luke sighed, much louder than necessary as his body slid off of the heavenly mattress, dragging the blankets down as well.

This was gonna be a long day.

\----------------

Once home, the wizards work began. All the necessary ingredients to fill all of his orders had been collected, no thanks to… oh.

The thought to ask the man’s name had never occurred to him. That bit of information was unnecessary now, though. He would probably never see him again, after all.

A cool breeze made its way through the cracks in the windowsill, sending a small chill through him. He decided to ignore the fact that he now knew who to go to for repairs.

In what seemed like moments, all orders were filled and a fresh pot of coffee was brewed as a reward.

Perfect ground coffee, gifted by the new farmer girl in exchange for information regarding the romantic feelings of one of the other villagers.

It might be a good idea to to keep track of their names, or try to remember more than a handful of them. There was the farmer girl, the mayor, the mayor's son, the blonde woman, the bouncy girl at the inn, the doctor… some other people.

Since when had the town become so large that he couldn’t keep track of its inhabitants? He could name every star in the night’s sky, but not the man with the blue hair, sharp eyes, and orange vest. No; he had never even seen that man before.

The day passed and the orders were picked up, all met with perfect grace on his part.

That would be an exaggeration. He simply pointed to the table where their product lay and turned back to his well-read book, feigning disinterest rather than anxiety.

Finally, when night inevitably fell, the ability to relax had returned once more.

 ~**~ 

For the wizard, work had become a bit easier in the following days, seemingly fueled by a new muse.

Morning Glory and orange peel had become prominent in most of his new work. He knew the reasons, as he knew many things, but with this he would choose to pretend the shift in ingredients simply resulted in a higher quality product. In some ways, it did.

To be inspired by a split moment of scenery featuring an annoying human seemed… not nearly as poetic as the muses of the past.

That being said, things had not changed. From time to time a human would knock on his door, ask for a reading or to order a charm or herbal remedy. Clouds still plagued him some nights, ruining plans of stargazing. One might call this life boring, but he found comfort in the predictability and simplicity.

Late afternoon, another knock on the door ripped him from the pages of a well worn book. Before he could stand, the mystery guest became impatient and made their own way inside.

“Yo, Wiz!” a familiar voice echoed, loud against the cool stone walls.

Slowly, the wizard turned his head and found a familiar splash of blue and orange.

“Dang, this place is FANCY!” The blue haired man whistled as he stomped around, poking his head into every corner of the Wizards home. “Can’t believe I’ve never been in here! I thought this place was abandoned or somethin’!” He chuckled.

“...Hello…. Did you need something…?” The Wizard asked as he stood and straightened his coat out, trying not to sound TOO annoyed that an outsider had barged into his home and manhandled everything within arms reach.

“Nah. Just passing by and like, now that we’re friends and stuff I thought I’d say hi!” The blue haired man smiled warmly, stepping closer.

The Wizard’s heart froze, then sped up, and suddenly he felt a little sick. Never in his life had such simple words caused such a reaction. 

“F… Friends?” The wizard asked, voice weak. Perhaps he should sit back down. The more the word tumbled around in his mind, the closer the other man got, the more discomfort he felt.

“Yeah! Since we hung out that one night, y’know? That makes us buds, right?” The mans grin never faltered, and he seemed so genuinely sure of his assumption, even as he moved to rest a hand on the others shoulder.

“No.” The wizard shrugged Luke’s hand away, taking a step back and bumping into his chair.  
Luke’s smile fell as his hand slowly retreated back to his pocket.

“I… do not even know your name…” The Wizard started, feeling a strange need to remedy the situation.

He had no idea what he was doing. This feeling was similar to when customers overstayed their welcome or tried to ask questions about himself, but amplified. The word ‘friends’ felt too heavy. It carried a weight of expectations and standards that he hadn’t the slightest clue how to meet. He hadn’t had a friend in a very, very long time… And this boisterous man with the sharp eyes was certainly too high maintenance for someone as low-energy as himself to handle. Maybe being crass would make the man leave him be, to continue on with his simple, predictable, routine life. Making friends was simply not on the agenda, especially not with this human.

“Luke’s the name!” The man chimed, pulling the Wizard from his own thoughts. He must be dense if the shift in aura didn’t make any impact... had he not been offended?

“I live WAAAAAAAAAY up near the mines! I work at the carpentry shop with my Pops and Bo! I’ve got the best axe skills around, and I put ‘em to good use!” Luke placed his hands on his hips, clearly proud of the hearty introduction.

“I…. see.” The wizard responded quietly, opting to take a seat as he tried not to suffocate on all of the energies that radiated from the man.

“If that is all… I am fine. You… may leave…” He mumbled before turning back to the book that lay open on his desk, the pages of text seeming to try and pull him back to someplace quiet and safe.

He managed to read a few lines of text, but their meanings eluded him. Desperately trying to ignore the presence of the man behind him, he read them again, and again, and once more before slamming the worn leather cover of the tome shut with a thud.

The wizard turned to glare at his….guest, who’s eyes had been fastened on his back since he’d turned away.

“Yikes!” Luke frowned, taking a small step back. “What’re ya lookin at me like that for?” He whined, brows slightly furrowed.

Was this man dense?

“I believe I said… you could leave.” The wizard repeated, voice a bit harsher than intended.  
It didn't seem to phase the other man.

“Aw, c’mon! I just got here!” Luke exclaimed, hands planted firmly on his hips and weight shifted to one side. He appeared determined to remain present. 

He knew not what to do but stare at the man. The gesture was meant to convey a silent message of annoyance, but he instead found himself examining the details of Lukes form.

Some sort of animal tooth, suspended by a thin strand of leather lay on his chest. 

His gloves lacked any sort of protection for his fingertips. Odd. Was the point of a glove not to protect the entire hand?

On his head, a bandana with a distasteful pattern and tails that seemed too long for it to have ever been a normal bandana. Who would make such a thing? What purpose did it serve?

Beneath a dusty orange vest, his shirt seemed to lack sleeves, bits of fabric frayed at the ends, sticking up in every direction. Was he aware of the state of disarray this garment was in? The sun seemed to have tanned the skin of his shoulder quite a bit, a few freckles dotting the surface. His arms were quite toned, probably from work, which seemed to consist of downing trees. They looked like they would be warm to the touch...

Something in his chest fluttered curiously, and he quickly glanced away.  
“Hey uh-”  
The familiar voice pulled him from his own clouded thoughts.

“Are you done gawkin’ at me yet or…”

The ugly sound of a chair scraping against the floor reverberated through the room as he reflexively pushed himself away.

Blood pooled in his cheeks, likely because of the increase in heart rate. A strange reaction to an accusation that was most certainly false.

“I… was not… doing that…” The wizard replied, not nearly as smoothly as he would have liked.  
This was not going well. He wanted more than anything for this mortal to leave him be. He turned around to his desk and threw open another book. Face buried between pages, he ignored the somersaults his stomach was performing. 

Luke must think him a fool. He was most definitely about to be called out on his strange behaviours and he had not the time to explain. He wasn’t even sure why it had happened in the first place.

“Dude, you totally were!”

Goddess, please save me. I have been loyal to you for ages and-

“And like, while I don’t blame you…” The blue haired man continued, the smile on his face audible as the wizard struggled with the urge to glance back and assess the situation.

“You’re definitely the one who should be gawked at, here!”

Despite all the research the wizard had done over the years, he had never read up on biology or anatomy. Especially not concerning the inner workings of immortal beings. The anatomy should be the same but… was it normal for the heart to speed up and stop at the same time like this?

In his confusion, he turned around once more to face his guest.

Luke had moved much closer, leaned forward, those piercing gold eyes level with the wizards own only about a foot and a half away.

He swallowed.

This experience was foreign. He had never felt so powerless and uneasy. It would be easy to remove him, disarm him, curse him, make it impossible for him to return to this place. Ages ago his master had taught him these things for his own safety- back when magical beings were hunted for sport.

However, he felt no desire to actually harm Luke in any way. A simple end to this unsettling interaction was his only wish.

“W...what…?” The wizard stammered, unable to form a coherent train of thought.

Luke smiled widely and placed his palm atop the distressed wizards head.

“You don’t got many friends do you?” He asked, ruffling the silver-blond strands of the wizards hair -an annoying gesture- and stepped back. 

The wizard quickly shot an agitated look in the blue haired man’s direction. No permissions of physical contact had been granted! But before he could say a word, Luke spoke again.

“I’m just sayin’ that like, I dunno. You don’t really look like regular people!” 

The wizard raised an eyebrow, but allowed Luke to continue. He knew well why his appearance would be deemed uncommon, but curiosity had always bested him. 

“Like, for starters your eyes don’t even match, dude! And you’ve got all this clinky jewelry and that tattoo under your eye and your hair is like… blonde? Silver? What even is that? I dunno, you just look….”

Weird. Luke was going to say weird. The wizard couldn’t help his appearance, and the jewelry helped amplify and keep his magic in check. He was always aware people would make fun of his appearance, it’s just that hearing it always filled him with strange, negative emotions. It was too late to cast a silencing spell now.

“... Super cool!”

Wait, what…?

The look of confusion that painted the the wizards features must have been evident, as the dull man currently loitering in his home seemed to pick up on it.

“So like, no worries man! I ain’t bugged by it since I’m sure people stare at you all the time! It’s only fair!” The blue haired man laughed, with a smile warm like the rays of the sun themselves as they slipped through the blinds and onto the wizards cold hands that lie motionless on his lap.

He had never before been fond of that particular star, much too bright and flashy for his taste… but it seemed to suit the man in front of him well enough.

“Anyway!” The silence broken as Luke spoke once more, a sense of urgency invading his tone.

“It’s gettin’ kinda late. I kinda just told pops I was gonna pick up some stuff for dinner so... I gotta go!” He laughed, lighthearted but with a twinge of guilt as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

“Nice talkin’ to ya again! See ya!” He waved enthusiastically as he sped through the room and out into the blinding yellow sunlight, slamming the door behind him.

It wasn’t until the wizard set his hand back down into the warm patch of light that he realized he had waved back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yall the last few months heckin WRECKED me  
> I didnt abandon this on purpose i swear  
> just like  
> full time job and holidays and yada yada  
> you know


	3. Observe and Follow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Local carpenter makes questionable decisions and a wizard sees himself for the first time  
> more news at 5

Liar. Luke was a liar. Pops never asked him to bring anything home for dinner. They had everything they needed at the house. In all honesty, he really had just popped in to check on the guy while on the way home! But something in his chest felt like it was gonna bust open if he didn’t get outta there.

Luke liked his new friend. The wizard seemed like an interesting character and he probably had something to learn from the guy! But staying there seemed like it would be detrimental to his health.

It was fine when the guy was checkin’ him out. It was a little embarrassing, but he thought himself handsome and quite well built! No arguments there. But when the wizards eyes lit up, just for that brief moment after he’d laughed...

In that moment he felt the wizard had become a bit more dangerous.

 

The wind was a bit brisk on the way back home.

~**~

Maybe the wizard wasn’t a friend worth making. Luke already had some fun friends, and his pops apparently had something against the guy. What could the guy even do? Yeah, the wizard was a bit taller than him, but he’d seen twigs stronger than the guy!

Was it the magic thing? Was his pops afraid of the wizard because he was magic? That seemed stupid…

Wait, wasn’t that why he was scared of him in the forest? Because he could curse him?  
…  
Okay, maybe that made him just a little bit scary.

BUT IT WAS STILL STUPID!

Luke stabbed his fork into the fish on his dinner plate as he mulled over his own thoughts. He wasn’t used to this whole THINKING thing. Everyone else in town was so regular! Why’d this one gotta go and be all… wizardy?!

Shoveling the rest of his dinner down, he excused himself and placed his plate in the sink before crossing the room and flopping down onto the floor beside their dog, Chief.

“Hey big guy,” Luke started, scratching at the back of the large dog’s neck.  
“You don’t worry about who you’re friends with, right?” He asked, patting Chiefs back gently.  
The dog tilted its head before stretching its neck to lick at Luke’s forearm.

“Guess not, huh?”  
Chief yawned and shifted a bit, resting his head on the man’s knee.

“I know I’M your friend!” He laughed, scratching behind the dogs fuzzy ears.  
“Everyone’s your friend! Must be nice, huh?”

Chief rolled onto his back, demanding a belly rub, and of course Luke obliged.

“Maaaan! Everyone loves dogs! No fair!”  
He was complaining, but the smile didn’t leave his face. 

Talking to Chief always made him feel just a little bit better. After giving the dog another rubdown and a few pats on the side for good measure, he stood again and decided to finish working on the pieces he had been sanding earlier that day.

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

Three rather peaceful days had passed. No strange occurrences, the weather had permitted for excellent stargazing, and not a single drop of coffee had been poorly brewed.  
Yes, things were back to the way they should be.

The wizard couldn’t stop himself from spending a few additional moments going over his reflection in the mirror each morning, though.

It was true that he didn’t leave his home much. When he did it was usually at a late hour when it could be guaranteed that nobody would be around, but were his features really so strikingly odd that people would stop to stare?

He had never thought much of himself. Most of his defining features couldn’t be changed. The only part of himself he spent any time on was his hair, and even he himself wasn’t sure why it remained braided in that fashion.

A habit, perhaps? It had been like that since his earliest memories.

His hair, his eyes, his so called ‘tattoo’… they could all be explained, but those bits of information were private if not a bit painful to recall. The idea of sharing those life experiences was off-putting in itself.

Nonetheless, appearance had never been of any concern.

...And yet, he found himself checking his reflection slightly more than usual now that he had become aware.

Aware of what? 

The differences in the human form perhaps? In comparison to… other… forms he had recently… observed, his own was narrow, slender, less roughed up. There were no apparent random nicks or scars across his skin, no muscular buildup or callouses. He did not carry with him the scent of fresh grass and sunshine.

There were a great number of differences between the two of them, though by textbook standards they were both men.

There was still so much of this world he had yet to learn, it seemed.

Tugging at his bangs in the mirror one last time, for a reason the wizard did not know, he crossed to the back of the room and dug through his piles of books.

Surely there was one here! Though it was likely they had all been used...

Ah! An empty notebook! Just what he had been looking for.

All his time had been devoted to learning and keeping note of his findings, generally observing objects, entities, occurrences… this time he would be keeping record of something much different. Something very new.

Himself.

**  
-Autumn 3

There will be a typhoon tonight. 

Not unusual for the shift in weather as the cold fronts come in.  
Pleasant weather as of recently has allowed me much time to think and meditate.

However, my studies suffer. I feel my thoughts have strayed somehow.  
I find new difficulty focusing on written word.

A man who calls himself my friend...

He has made me look at myself. What was once invisible, now glaring. I am at peace, but I worry.

I know not what for.  
**

\---------------------------------------------

 

Owen was right. Always listen to Owen. This was something he should have remembered about an hour and a half ago.

But no, he went ahead and ignored his friendly advice and went out for a drink anyway. It had been a couple of SUPER busy days, he deserved a moment to get away from his Pops and relax!

So it was raining, big deal! Like a little water could get him down!

A typhoon might do the trick, though.

Luke sighed and downed the rest of his drink, the bottom of the glass clinking a little louder against the table than intended. 

It was hard to tell where the table was in pitch darkness, after all. How was he supposed to know the power would go out?

“Luke? Y’alright?” Kathy called from the kitchen, making some sort of ruckus digging through drawers.

“Yeah, I’m good!” He replied, pushing his chair back as he stood and straightened out his vest. As if someone could tell it was out of place…

“Oh!” The blonde woman chirped, pulling open another drawer. A faint scratching sound followed, and soon she was in the room, lit candle in hand.

Carefully, she tread through the dark room, eyes pointed downward so as not to misstep. It wasn’t long before she made her way to him.  
“It’s storming pretty bad out there… You need somewhere to stay? I think there’s an extra room!” Kathy smiled, placing a gentle hand on Luke's back.

“No way! Pops is still pissed from the last time I stayed out all night!” Luke barked, crossing his arms and trying to ignore the howling gusts just outside. He didn’t want to think about how much his walk home was going to suck. Having a couple of cocktails sure didn’t help, either.

“C’mon, you don’t know that for sure!” The woman offered, patting him a few times for comfort.  
“The weather’s just been bad lately! Lots of repairs to do, and y’all are our go-to guys!”

Luke shrugged. She was right. Pops never really said anything about being mad. 

“Now c’mon, I’ll set that room up for you! Just give me a minute. It’ll be tough to find everything in the dark and-”

“Don’t worry about it, Kath.” Luke interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder both for comfort and to stop her. “ I can get home in this! I got lost in the forest for like 3 days, remember?” He snorted, remembering how he’d been forced to build a small hut to sleep in so the raccoons couldn’t bother him while he slept.

The blonde woman sighed, placing her free hand on her hip.

“Well, if you’re sure!... But don’t say I didn’t try to stop you when you slip and hurt yourself!” 

 

Luke rolled his eyes and placed a hand on his hip, mimicking her body language. He could turn the sass on too!

“I’ll be fine, C’mon! I’ve left this place in worse conditions, you know!” He scoffed.

“Oh, I know.” Kathy scoffed back, shoving him lightly toward the door.  
“Alright! Just go, then! What am I, your mom?” She chuckled, though her tone was much too worried for it to be convincing.

“Might as well be!” Luke retorted as he threw the door to the bar open and tried not to make a show of wincing into the wind.

Yikes.

With the door shut sturdily behind him, he checked his surroundings, eyes shielded from the hard rain and howling winds by his forearm.

Not a single nearby building was plainly visible, the streetlights unable to compete with the dreary gusts.

Wow! Okay this was… a lot worse than he thought. Signs and storefronts that were usually clear as day were nearly impossible to make out in these conditions. The walk home would be long… if he could even make it.

Maybe he should take the minecart? It would definitely be a way shorter walk, but the idea of being on that rickety old minecart with these winds was nothing short of terrifying.

Still, though… if he tried to walk home in this he’d definitely get sick.  
Or lost.  
Or worse…

He shook his head, hair already completely drenched, and decided to start moving.

~**~

Where was he? If he could guess, it had probably been about 15 minutes since he’d left the bar… It was freezing.

Nothing looked familiar.

He’d really done it this time... Shoulda listened to Kathy too!

 

He could never do anything right! He’d die for sure out here!

Now what was he supposed to do? There really wasn’t any other option but keep moving until he found something he could recognize...

So he did just that.

He found the edge of a cliff, the beach, some large stones, some trees… nothing helpful. Maybe if he turned around? It was so dark...

Spinning on his heels, he turned back in hopes of finding something. ANYTHING!

Why did he do these kinds of things to himself? Every time he found himself in a situation, it was by his own stupid decision. He hated being treated like a child and told what to do, but maybe it was something he needed. Obviously he couldn’t take care of himself.

The wind whistled past him, bringing along the cold chill of the rain as a sharp chill wracked his entire body.

Hurry, Hurry...

Another five minutes, nothing.  
Keep moving.

He crossed his fingers and prayed to the Goddess for forgiveness for… whatever it is that he’d done this time.

Please Goddess, help me! I’ll do whatever you want! Have this gale lead my way if that’s what it takes!

A strong gust of frigid wind pushed against him, nearly toppling him over. He took that as a sign from the Goddess herself.

He bowed his head and followed the breeze.

Five minutes later, he spotted a shadow in the shape of a building with a peculiar roof.

Soaked and shivering, he made his way around the cold concrete walls, and what he had found was a vaguely familiar purple door.

He didn’t have to right the toppled sign to know who it belonged to.

...And of course it was locked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really just a bit of a buildup for the next chapter but i had fun anyway ;9


	4. Plain White Envelope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wizards aren't superheroes, nor are they particularly hospitable hosts!

Cold.

Loud.

Dark.

Briefly, he thought he felt himself hit something, then suddenly whatever it was pulled away. 

Warm air.

Silence.

Warm hands.

 

Desperately he tried to open his eyes, but they were so heavy. 

 

Wood Floor.

Stone walls.

Dim light.

...

 

Nothing.

 

…

 

He tried again. 

 

White ceiling.

White walls.

Bright light.

...And a piercing headache.

 

“Goddess, what happened?” Luke groaned as he propped himself up on one elbow, bringing his free hand up to shield his eyes from the light as the papery sheets crinkled against the squeaky mattress as it protested beneath him.

He had a migraine from hell, he knew that at least.

Another reluctant look around gave him almost all of the information he needed.

Uncomfortably clean and polished walls and floors, medical charts and posters dotted with reminders not to do this and that and to stay healthy, and his own clothing hung neatly on a small set of wall hooks just to his left.

A familiar bed in a familiar doctors office. A place he’s wound up in many, many times before.

He messed up big time, huh?

“Luke, You’re awake.” A familiar voice chimed as the towns one and only doctor stepped inside.

“Oh. Hey, doc.” Luke managed, voice weak as the weight of his own body settled in.

“It’s Doctor or Jin, Luke. We’ve been over this.” The bespectacled man replied with a tired sigh as he jotted something down on the clipboard in his hand. Jin insisted he use some boring proper name every time, but Luke never listened. Those names were no fun! What was life if not fun??

He winced as the doctor shut the door, the volume of even that soft click causing his head to pound again.  
Goddess, this was just the absolute worst…  
Life at this moment… not fun.

Quietly, the doctor moved to the other side of the room, setting down his papers and taking a seat at the chair beside the bed.  
For once, Luke was thankful that Jin wore those useless looking slippers. Noise was his enemy right now, and they made no more than a soft tap with every step.

Carefully, the darker haired man cleared his throat to catch Luke’s attention.

“So, I feel like there should perhaps be some sort of explanation as to what transpired last night, yes?” Jin spoke quietly as he brought a cup of tea to his lips.

Wait, when did he get that? Where did it come from!?

Damnit Luke, are you that out of it?!  
Oh! Right! The question!

“Well, I don’t know the whole thing.” Luke started, feeling his brain start to swirl around in his skull.  
He should lay down.  
“I don’t know how I got here, but-” He started as he carefully lowered himself back down onto the pillows, which rumpled all too loudly against him.

“I went out for a drink last night and decided to brave the walk home.”

“In the typhoon.”

“Yeah.”

“...I cannot be surprised by you anymore.”

“You know me!” Luke laughed briefly before falling into a short coughing fit, which lead to more pounding in his skull.

“Anyway, I tried to walk home and got like, _super_ lost. I don’t really remember much after that.” Luke finished with a deep sigh. The whole room was spinning and he wasn’t really appreciating it. If anything, it made him feel even more sick.

“Well, your delirious self isn’t the best at choosing hospitable caretakers.” The doctor began, pushing his glasses back into place with the tip of his middle finger.

“It isn’t often I find a storm-drenched wizard carrying an imbecile on my doorstep at unholy hours of the night, you know. You’re quite lucky I was even awake to hear the door!”

Aughhh… why’d the doc always gotta scold him?! He’d get enough of it from his pops later, anyway!! Yeah, yeah. He’s an idiot, he knows. Old news.

….wait….

“The _Wizard_ brought me here?!” He nearly vaulted out of bed, but his aching muscles and throbbing headache said otherwise.

The Wizard found him!? And _carried_ him here? He seemed like too scrawny a dude for that…. all this thinking only made his head hurt more.

“Yes. He was kind enough to bring you here. He didn’t tell me the details. In fact, he didn’t say anything at all! ...But I’m assuming you found his door somehow.” He took another sip from his delicate looking teacup before he continued.

“I woke up to get myself some water and somehow managed to hear a knock on the door. I opened it, he handed your cold, lifeless body to me, and then he left.”

Well....

Damn.

That probably didn’t sit well with the guy. He’d definitely have to make it up to him! But first, he had to get home and get this whole ‘gettin yelled at’ thing out of the way.

“Man! I messed up big time!” Luke sighed as he rubbed at his eyes.  
“Shoulda listened to Kathy... I feel like I say something like that every time I end up here!”

“You do.” Jin sipped at his tea again.

“Anyway, I do have some medicine for you. I’ll save you the trouble of billing you at the moment. It’s not as if I don’t know where you live, after all.” The doctor smirked with a quiet chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks doc.”

“Jin.”

“...doc. Anyway, get out so I can get dressed and leave.” Luke waved his hand dismissively, and the doctor complied, but not before leaving a small container of pills behind.

“Take it as needed, do not consume alcohol, operate the minecart, or touch your axe, saws, or sanders until you feel you are in perfect health. Understand?” The other man added as he exited the room, raising his eyebrows as he waited for Luke’s response before closing the door.

“I know, I know. It’s the same every time, dude!”

That seemed to be enough for the doctor, who then stepped back and shut the door behind him with another piercing click.

 

~**~

 

The walk home had been just as terrible as he thought it would be.

After the typhoon, the temperature plummeted and the winds picked up. Somehow just being outside hurt his skin, his muscles straining to simply function just beneath.  
Of course, his migraine hadn’t gone yet. Of course.  
And to top it all off, his newfound mobility also brought a non-stop cough and the drippiest nose imaginable.

Maybe he shoulda waited for the medicine to kick in before he left.

Idiot.

After the longest walk home in history, he finally pushed the front door open and silently wished for the best as he stepped into the familiar building.

Aaaand Pops was staring right at him, arms crossed, brows furrowed so far he could hardly see his squinty old eyes. Good. He looked absolutely peachy.

“H-Hey Pops… take it easy on me, I’m still sick! You can kick my ass when I feel better, okay?” It was worded like a demand, but it held little power. He could whine all he wanted, there was no tellin’ Pops what to do.

He just hoped he would be allowed to at least change and get in bed before he had his ear chewed off.

“Dr.Jin called. He suggested we give you the rest of the day to recover.” Bo interjected, slicing through the painfully thick atmosphere.

“You’re free to suffer for the rest of the day.” The younger man smiled before returning to his work.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, he wanted to hug Bo and thank him for everything he’d ever done for him.

Luke simply nodded at him before returning his attention to his Pops, who just stared him down before sighing and nudging his head in the direction of his room. Somewhere in there, Luke could see relief pass over his features for just a moment.

“Take better care of yourself, kid.” Dale mumbled before turning back to the papers on his desk.  
“We’ll talk tomorrow.”

And with that, Luke took his exit, changed, fell into bed (literally) and only woke once to down the soup and bread Bo brought him before he passed out once again.

 

 

\-----------------

 

Three days passed since the incident with that man… Luke. Three days of peaceful, almost heavenly silence, productivity, and clear night skies.  
Three days without that strange tugging in his chest, which he still could not find a cause for in any of his books.

However, things had been too calm. Wizards were unable to read their own futures, nor could they see into the futures of others where they intersected... but he could feel it.

That particular man would return, as he always did.

A few sips of coffee and a few lines of text later, he slipped a bookmark between the pages and flipped the cover of the tome shut with a quiet thump.

Before the man could even knock, he was out of his seat and pulling the door open.

Seeing his future was impossible, but he could not call himself a wizard if he hadn’t felt the overwhelming source of energy approaching.

Without fail, there he was, cerulean hair pointing in every direction just as he remembered. However, his splash of orange had been replaced with that of a bright green. Somehow that detail came as a minor disappointment. 

He hated that something so simple could make him feel that way.

The man- Luke, waved and greeted him. His words and gestures were still much too friendly and familiar for his tastes. It made his stomach churn and his blood pressure rise. He couldn’t stand it.

“Why… do you insist on coming here.” The wizard asked, tone flat.  
He would not let whatever mysterious force this man carried with him to alter his judgement again.  
He would not allow his perfectly clear and logical mind be clouded with the shroud of strange emotion this… mortal... carried along with him.

Luke seemed confused by his words.

“What..? I came to say hi!” He smiled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his new garment.  
A jacket perhaps? It lacked a bit in the sleeve area…  
He cursed himself silently and shook the distraction from his mind.  
“And, y’know. Thanks for takin’ me to the doc the other night!” The dark haired man leaned forward, face stretched into a wide smile. Luke seemed to shine brighter than the summer Sun. Sweltering, blinding… he never liked this planets Sun.

The wizard refused to be impressed again. This man brought with him inner turmoil and self doubt. He had an infinite lifespan, but no time for such things.

“It was not… an act of courtesy. I only did so… to get you out of my house.”

Luke’s eyes grew wide, his jaw falling slack. The man seemed to have no words at the moment.

And with that, the wizard stepped back inside and shut the door, opting to lock it to avoid any troublesome intrusions.

A well deserved sigh was interrupted by several loud thuds against the wooden barrier.

“Hey, c’mon! What’s this about!? What did I do!?” The other man yelled from the outside, words muffled.

The wizard tried desperately to ignore the strange ache in his chest as he returned to his seat and lifted the cover of his book once again. He could feel his heartbeat in his own ears.

“I just came by to say sorry! I messed up big time! I’m an idiot and I probably ruined your whole night or whatever and I’m really sorry! Ok!?” He continued, his voice echoing against the stone walls of the wizard’s house.

His brain was doing that odd thing where it didn’t want to properly grasp the words on the page. Idly, he began to chew at a bit of dried skin on his lip.

After a few moments, Luke fell silent.

Oh, good. Maybe he left.

 

… For some reason, that only made the wizard feel worse.

But then, Luke spoke again. His voice much softer, much harder to hear.

“Listen. I don’t know how exactly I messed up, but... I’m sorry. So, if you won’t listen to me, at least read this. You seem to like readin’ and stuff…”

A sigh.

“Anyway… bye, I guess.”

The wizard had returned to the door at this point, his feet carrying him there without his consent. It aggravated him beyond comprehension.

Before he heard the scuffling of Luke’s boots against the path, a small envelope was pushed through the crack in the doorframe just above the knob.

No seal, no address. Looking at it made him horribly anxious. He turned it over in his fingers as he returned to the desk.

Once seated he pulled the paper, lined and a bit wrinkled, from the envelope and inspected its contents.

 

**

 

Hey wizard! im sure ur probably mad at me  
actually i know ur mad at me because this letter was my backup plan!! So yeah, youre mad and i dunno why? Probably… but i probably messed stuff up for u. I mess stuff up for myself a lot and everyone gets stuck cleanin up after me  
Sorry…

Im not very smart. Im an idiot actually haha  
I dont think before i do stuff  
I just do stuff and then everyone has to deal with whatever it is i messed up

And this time it was you that had to pick up after me  
Actually, u had to literally pick me up  
…..and carry me thru a typhoon… yikes

Im like. Super sorry about that…  
I rly rly am  
Id feel like probably the biggest jerk if u got hurt or something  
Id rather punch myself in my own face then be responsible for u gettin hurt

Anyway, sorry for being a giant burden all the time. Ill make it up to u i swear!! Just hear me out  
Im not smart, but im stubborn!! Ill do any repairs u need for free or ill build u stuff!! I just...

Really dont want u to be mad at me… i think ur pretty cool

I think i could learn stuff from u

 

Pls at least think abt it ok?

Sorry again,  
Luke

 

**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey its been like... what? 80 years? Usin' nanowrimo to kick my butt into writing again.... sorry this one aint so happy


	5. Unforgotten Altercations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helo i sure am late huh  
> To say sorry ill be posting 3 chapters today that i managed to write on my lunch breaks at work lmao

Idly, Luke forked at a cherry tomato as it rolled around his plate. Dinner was usually a very social time for him, but his heart was heavy and his mind uncomfortably blank since that afternoon when things hadn’t really gone as planned with the Wizard.

There was no telling how much time he had spent prodding at the small red orb, but any amount of focus, or lack thereof, was pulled away by the sound of a soft knock on the door.

“I’ll get it.” Bo’s voice sounded, grounding Luke further.

The younger man rose and quickly crossed into the front room, socked feet making hardly a sound on his way there.

Luke was a bit curious, admittedly, but his heart just wasn’t in it at the moment.

\-------

Bo was used to surprises. Bo was used to the unexpected. He had to be to live with someone like Luke.

But this…

He hadn’t expected to see this on his doorstep. He couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing, but this wasn’t something that could be mistaken.

“You’re the town’s Wizard, right?”

A moment passed before the tall man nodded gently. The action was so small, it could easily have been missed.

“Oh...Well, then. Hello, Mr.Wizard…? Our business hours are actually over for the night, so if you need work done, you’ll have to-”

“Is Luke here?”

Despite the Wizard's voice being about as loud as an owl's wing, his question certainly did leave Bo reeling.

He furrowed his brow as he tried to make sense of things.

“Luke? You’re looking for Luke?”

The Wizard nodded.

Bo took in a deep, disbelieving breath as his fingertips rubbed at his forehead as if to stimulate some sort of failed brain function. 

“...Why would someone like you want to see Luke?”

The man opened his mouth as if to reply, but quickly shut it as his eyes darted to something a bit higher. He looked…. Terrified.

Bo turned back to find Dale looming behind him, and something in his body language told him that it was time for him to leave.

And so he did, quickly slipping back into the house and leaving Dale to whatever business he had.

…

“What are you doin’ here?” Dale asked, voice low as he focused on the man before him.  
He hadn’t changed a bit in all these years and that only pissed him off more.

The man didn’t answer; he only averted his gaze and shuffled in place. He looked scared and he had every reason to be.

Dale leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed as he took in a deep breath of the crisp night air.

“What makes you think you got the guts to come back here? After everything you’ve done, you think you’re welcome? Or maybe you think you can apologize to me almost twenty six years after the fact?”

The questions made the Wizard look up, but he was visibly curled in on himself and his mouth flapped open a few times like a fish. It was almost funny.

“I…” The smaller man started.

“I want to speak… with Luke.”

Dale swears his blood pressure rose to lethal levels at that exact moment.

“Luke? You wanna talk to MY son?!”

The wizard flinched, his eyes wide as his hand rose to cover his mouth.

“What do you want with him?! You already took my wife from me, now you want to take my son too!?”

“No!” The wizard replied, voice much louder than before.

“Please… I had no choice! There was nothing I could do!”

“BULLSHIT! You had the power to save her and you let her die!”

“N-No! Please understand! I couldn’t! I...I’ve told you-”

“What’s going on here?!” An all too familiar voice questioned from just beside him.

“Finish your dinner, Luke. This is none of your business.”

Luke rolled his eyes, knowing all too well that he wasn’t about to leave not knowing what was up with his pops’ arguing with someone at the door.

But his heart fell to the floor when he finally managed to see just who was outside.

“W-Wizard!?”

Luke shoved past his pops to get a better look, his mind reeling with thoughts and questions.

“Why are you here? Why’s pops yellin’ at you? What’s going on!?”

The wizard said nothing; he only looked to him with an expression of absolute sorrow and regret and he felt like he could cry.

“You know him, Luke?” Dale asked, the question much more serious than he’d ever heard.

“Y-Yeah. He’s my friend!” Luke replied, and his pops let out a frustrated sigh.

“You’re not allowed to talk to this man ever again. He will ruin your life and not once will he apologise for it. Now finish your dinner and go to bed.”

“No! Why should I?” Luke argued, stepping out and toward the wizard, symbolically taking his side in an argument he knew nothing of, but was sure was silly anyway.

Dale was visibly holding back an incredible amount of seething rage. His teeth were gritted, brows furrowed to hell and back, and he was pretty sure he was shaking.

“This man let your mother die, Luke. If he had lifted a god damned single finger for us, she would still be here.”

Everything went quiet.

He didn’t understand what his pops meant. The wizard let her die? But… she died from getting sick after she had him…

After what seemed like an eternity, he turned his gaze to the wizard, who looked positively broken.

“Luke… please listen to me. Your father… he will not.”

“You don’t gotta listen to a god damned word this-”

“Pops! Let me listen, please! This is about mom; I have to know!” Luke shouted, probably louder than necessary, but he couldn’t hear over the sound of his heart thudding against his skull.

Dale let out a frustrated grunt and settled back against the doorframe, eyeing the wizard carefully.

“Thank you…” The wizard started. He looked horribly fragile in this moment, like he was ready to break at the smallest touch.

“When you were born… your mother was very ill. The doctors could do nothing to help her… and so she passed.”

Luke nodded, and the wizard continued.

“Your father did not want to accept her passing, which I do not blame him for. He found me… Asked me to bring her back with my magic. I told him I could not do that….I don’t have the power…” He bit his lip as his eyes darted from Luke to his father.

“I have many powers, but I cannot bring her back. Once they are gone, there is nothing I can do.” He continued.

“Your father called me a liar, a traitor, a hoax. He said I cursed her, doomed her to death. I had no reason to want such a thing…”

Luke peered up at his father, whose expression told him he was reliving the memories as well.

“I… didn’t know… she was your mother.” The wizard added, gaze fixed on luke. “I’m sorry…”

“Damn right you’re sorry!” Dale finally piped up, straightening back out like he had been waiting for some minor inconvenience to take care of itself.

“You have this poor boy convinced that you care about him enough to call him a friend when you didn’t even care enough to try and help save his mother! I know you’re in with the Harvest Goddess and The Harvest King! I know damn well that one of them coulda done somethin’! But instead you just turned me down and twiddled your scrawny ass thumbs like it was a business offer!”

“Please, I-”

“Don’t you give me that same shit, again! I know y-”

“Pops! Cool it!” Luke shouted, cutting his father off and stepping even further out toward the wizard.

“I believe him.”

Dales jaw dropped and he fumbled for a while.

“What do you mean, you believe him?”

Luke placed a hand on the Wizard’s shoulder, but his eyes remained trained on his father.

“I believe he did everything he could to help mom. I believe he actually does care. I believe he can be my friend… because he saved my life.”

Before his father could respond, he continued.

“That day I got sick… I got lost in the storm remember? I got lost, and I blacked out and he found me. He carried me all the way to the doctor’s office, through that storm, by himself! He put himself at risk to make sure I was safe!”

Dales face went blank.

“Why would he do all that if he didn’t care?”

A long, painful silence stretched on between them before Luke’s father turned, punching the door frame loudly as he headed back inside.

“You're a god damned idiot, son. He's got you! You think that little act means anything? I've let you make your dumbass mistakes, but like hell I’ll let you die!”

Luke began to speak, but before he could make a sound, he was yanked inside by his arm, the door slamming shut between him and the Wizard. 

“What the hell!?” Luke barked, reaching for the doorknob only to have his hand smacked away.

“Go to bed.”

“No!”

“Go. To bed. Luke.”

“No way! What the hell’s the matter with you!? He saved my life and you shut the door on him? What am I? Grounded? I'm not a child, Pops!”

“You sure do act like one! You're playin with fire here, and you're too stupid to see it!”  
Dale rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath.

“Goddess, where did i go wrong with you…”

Luke's heart ached as the weight of his father's disappointment set in. Sure, he was an idiot, but this time he was sure he was right.

There was no way the Wizard let his mother die. There was no way. He looked so broken, so absolutely shattered and _small_ … there was no lie in his words.

Luke let out a shuddered breath and scratched at his head. This was too much. It was all too much. He’d never seen his pops so absolutely off the rails before. Muddled thoughts swirled in his head, threatening to burst out if they weren't sorted out soon, but he couldn't focus. No. He couldn't sort them out. He had no answers! He needed to figure out what was going on.

“I'm going to bed,” was all he muttered before exiting the room, slamming the door behind him.

There was a lie in _his_ words, however.

As soon as the door shut, he grabbed his tool belt - which functioned as his casual bag - and slung it across his hips as he hopped out the window hoping to catch the Wizard before he got too far.

He needed to know more. He needed to know about his mom, about the Wizard’s relationship with his father and what he remembered, and he needed to make sure that his new friend knew he was on his side.

He quietly made his way around the building, careful to avoid rustling the foliage too much. The last thing he needed was to get tossed inside again.

Fortunately, his search party was short lived.

On the small wooden step, just at the front door of the store, sat a familiar but crumpled figure.

“Wizard.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. A year and a half...  
> lifes been unkind and my mental health has seen better days, but i am here nonetheless!!


	6. Warm Mugs in Warm Palms

It felt like static. In his mind, every part of his body, the world around him. It was all static. Any chance of holding a thought, figuring out his next move, even the will to get up and go back home… it was all muffled and muted beyond comprehension.

The last time he had felt this way, it was over the same topic.

All he could do as the door slammed in front of him was slink down into a ball on the steps.

Luke said he believed him, and he wanted to find comfort in that, but he was sure by now that he would never be allowed anywhere near him again. And that - that was probably for the better. Anytime the two of them occupied a space, he was left uneasy and Luke was left hurt.

A deep breath. Take in the silence of the night. The man and his father seem to have quieted down. A melancholy sense of relief. He wanted to stand, to go home. But his body wouldn't cooperate.   
Static.  
Static.  
Static.  
Static.

“Wizard.”

Silence.

“Hey man, you okay?”

The voice was quiet, but familiar, laced with a softness and worry he had never heard.

The Wizard turned to the voice, to Luke, the night around him suddenly as ordinary as any other.

“Luke…”

The man took a seat beside him, no hesitation in placing an arm around his back.

“Shit, are you crying?”

Wizard reached up to pat at his cheek with his fingertips, pulling them back to find the moonlight glistening back at him. He rubbed his face on his sleeve.

“I… am fine.” He mumbled, voice a bit hoarse. The strength to look at Luke was impossible to find now.

A sympathetic chuckle escaped his friend, who pulled his arm away and back into his own lap.

“I uh-” Luke started, his voice a low whisper.

“Let's go somewhere else. I wanna talk. About a lotta stuff.”

Quickly, Luke stood, but it was not so easy for the Wizard. He could only stare at Luke as his legs betrayed him.

The moonlight did not suit him, was his only thought. No, he didn't fit in among the pale light of the Moon. He was much too bright for that. The Moon only gave off second hand light, borrowed from the sun. Luke was the source itself.

Without thinking, he reached for the sun, and the sun reached back, just as warm as he had imagined.

Once he was on his feet, the two began their walk back toward town in an easy silence, eventually finding themselves back at the Wizard’s home.

\------------------

 

Luke felt bad. Like, _really_ bad. This guy, the wizard - always so composed and stable looking - curled up and crying on his front steps. He couldn't stop thinking about it. But he reached out for help, so… he was willing to talk about this mess. Luke had to take this chance.

The walk to town was quiet, but it didn't feel awkward. He could tell the Wizard needed time to breathe and think and, honestly, so did he.

But he couldn't help but be distracted. He kept glancing over, noticing little things each time.

His hair, the color he couldn't quite name, was exactly the color of the moon who loomed just above them. 

His jewelry sparkled around him like stars, and his eyes - His eyes. 

Something about them seemed to glow in the starlight. He had noticed that the first night they met, but now instead of fear, he felt some sort of odd draw toward them. 

Before long, they were inside the Wizard’s house, and the silence fell heavy upon them once again.

“Is it uh… cool if i sit here?” Gesturing toward the Wizard’s bed, unable to find a second chair. The wizard himself had claimed the one at his desk.

The man stared at him silently for a moment before nodding, turning his chair to face Luke as he sat on the surprisingly plush mattress.

“Listen-” He started, pulling in a deep breath to collect his thoughts.

“I'm sorry, About my Pop-... My father.” He cleared his throat and glimpsed up to find his friend’s eyes trained on him.

Good. He was listening.

“I - He’s still torn up about mom, I guess, but… You don't deserve all that.” To be honest, he didn't have all the details on the situation, but something in him told him he was right in this case.

Once again, he parted his lips, but he quickly shut them. There was so much he wanted to say - so much he wanted and _needed_ to know.

“I'm sorry.” He started again.

“Pops was always real vague when talkin’ about mom. All he told me was that she got real sick after she had me. I didn't know about any of this.”

The bed beneath him creaked quietly as he shifted, leaning a little closer like it would make him hear better.

“I wanna hear you out. Tell me anything, _everything_! Please… I gotta know.”

The wizard just stared, a mix of emotions in his features just subtle enough to be unreadable. Not that he was ever good at reading people in the first place.

But for once, he would be patient. He would give him the time to explain what his father clearly wouldn't.

\------------

Sorrow. Pity. Uncertainty. A slew of emotions surrounded the man who sat on his bed, and they did not suit him. 

However, every word he spoke was filled with sincerity as they always were. He was being given an honest chance.

“Do you want some coffee?” The Wizard spoke, raising himself from his chair and making his way over to the coffee maker.

“Oh, uh,” Luke nearly choked, clearly caught off guard by the seemingly random question.

“Yeah, that’d be rad!” 

“How… do you take it?”

“Um… black.”

The wizard glanced back at him, the slight prickle under his eye telling him otherwise.

“Try again.”

Luke sighed, a soft chuckle falling from his lips.

“Shoulda known better, huh?” A laugh. “Like, super sweet and milky.” Luke corrected himself, and the Wizard nodded.

Reading lies wasn't always so easy, oftentime there were too many energies muddling the view, but here in his home it was much easier. He had cast a few spells here and there, hung a few charms and seals - they all heightened his magical senses to make his work easier. It also helped that Luke radiated an energy stronger than any other mortal he had ever come across.

All that aside, he was still wracked with anxiety. Luke apologised and said he believed him, but that couldn't calm his nerves.

This was the most stressed he had felt in a long time, and in combination with his long lived reclusive habits and explosive new ‘friend’, the pressure only grew.

He watched as the coffee dripped quietly.

“So…” The wizard spoke, quietly handing Luke a warm mug before taking a seat with his own. A small sense of… something… washed over him as Luke took a careful sip and nodded in a way he deemed as ‘positive’.

“I will spare you no details.” The wizard started.

\------------------

Luke sat as still as he's ever been, latching on to every barely audible word that escaped the man before him.

His mom didn't get sick after having him. There were complications during delivery that made things difficult afterward. Problems that medicine wouldn't fix. 

The wizard visited regularly alongside the doctors, doing what he could to soothe miscellaneous pains. Apparently his healing magics were incredibly weak at the time. 

It only lasted a week, and then she was gone.

Luke’s father didn't handle it well. He was convinced that the wizard knew more about healing magic than he let on, that he was refusing to heal her on purpose - that he had some sort of grudge for some reason. The wizard had no clue as to why he would think that.

It was likely just desperation.

He followed him, begged, pleaded and even threatened him, if he did not speak to the goddess or the Harvest King.

Over and over, the wizard had to tell him that even the immortals could not bring her back. They cannot simply create life. Not for free. The cost of such a thing would cause more pain than it was worth.

He refused to listen. For 25 years, he refused to listen. The solution to this issue was always left cut off through sheer stubbornness and desperate, biting words.

The price for Luke’s mother was Luke himself.

“... Damn.” Luke breathed, staring down into the cold remains of his coffee. His hands trembled slightly against the ceramic, but he tried not to let it show.

A pained laugh fell from his chest as a hand reached up to push the hair from his eyes, straining to keep the tears threatening to fall at bay.

“That’s…” He finally looked back up to the Wizard, who returned his gaze expectantly.

“That's some fucked up shit, Pops.” 

Luke stood, placing his cup on a nearby table as he paced slowly.

“If he just listened for, like, two seconds! This wouldn't even be a thing, dude! Like-” He groaned loudly and kicked his leg at the open air.

“I'm so pissed! And he lied to me about why mom died! Why's he gotta be such a jackass sometimes!? If he just gave you a chance! Did he even try to blame the doctors!? Why would he lie to me? This whole thing is so FUCKING stupid!” His voice echoed loudly off of the stone before he realised.

The Wizard had shrunk into his chair, clearly extremely uncomfortable.

“Oh, Uh-” Luke cleared his throat, tone much softer as he stepped forward and cautiously placed a hand on the other man's shoulder.

“Sorry. My bad. I just… this is just. It's a lot, y’know?” 

He took a deep breath before continuing, “I shouldn't yell at you. You've been yelled at too much already.”

Slowly, the wizard turned to glance up at him from the corner of his eye.

That was all Luke needed to scoop the man up in his arms in a tight hug.

“Thanks so much, man… I'm sorry pops put you through that. You deserve so much better. I can see why you hide away like you do.” He muttered, refusing to let go despite the fact that the Wizard hadn't moved an inch.

Luke just held him for a few moments, his mind reeling but, slowly, he began to calm. Herbs, coffee, old books… that's what the Wizard smelled like. Even though nothing in his life held this sort of scent, it brought him a comfort he couldn't explain.

Finally he felt a thin pair of arms gently hold him back, and he smiled.

“Was she nice?”

“Extraordinarily so.”

“What else?”

“She loved you very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're precious but they're also idiots more at 5


	7. Pine Scented Sweater

Luke only seemed to make himself more comfortable over the course of two more cups of coffee and every memory of his mother the wizard could recall, eventually bundling himself up in the blankets of his rarely used bed. 

“I was a cool baby.” Luke chuckled quietly, still beaming but obviously quite tired. The hours escaped them. “I knew it.”

The wizard smiled gently as he collected their cups and gave them a quick rinse in the sink. 

How did his evening end up like this? So much had occurred in such a small amount of time. Normally he would be wracked with anxiety and trying to get this person out of his house, but in this instance it wasn't quite so bad.

He didn't get many chances to speak of the past, of things pertaining to his own memories. Visitors generally stopped in to do business and leave, and that was how he liked it.

Now he kept an audience with a whirlwind of a person, and was managing. He felt a small amount of pride in this meager accomplishment. For the first time in ages he felt tired, and it felt good.

After the cups were cleaned and set aside, he turned back to Luke.

“It is late… perhaps you should-”

Oh.

There, tangled in his blankets and recently toppled over, Luke lay fast asleep. 

The wizard heart thumped in his chest for a number of reasons. 

One, Luke likely hadn't intended to fall asleep here. 

Two, the Wizard had actually felt tired enough to sleep for once and would need his bed to do so.

Three,

Well...

He couldn't figure out the third reason.

“Uh…”

The wizard chewed his lip as he weighed his options.

He could let him sleep, but something about that made him nervous. It's likely his father would realise he had slipped out, and that could cause more trouble than the Wizard wanted to give him.

But then, he could wake him...

For some reason, he was extremely hesitant to do so. The other man seemed rightfully tired, and with no explanation he just didn't want to see him leave quite yet. Seeing proof that he could successfully keep company made him feel… nice- especially with an audience such as Luke.

Suddenly, his heart fluttered.

Right.

Obviously the logical answer was to wake him and send him home. His hesitation was entirely selfish…

Since when were selfish, illogical acts even of consideration?

Why did this man keep muddling his thought processes?

The correct choice was obviously to send him home, which he would do…

Right after he recorded this anomaly in his journal.

**

Autumn 18

Luke is the child of the woman I aided all those years ago. Another altercation occured with Dale, his father.

Luke listened.

He let me explain and spent some time in my home.  
Somehow, I found it pleasant.

So pleasant that now that he has fallen asleep, I cannot will myself to wake him despite all reason telling me to.

My heart will not still and my eyes will not leave him.  
I am at an absolute loss. 

I am afraid.

**

Quietly, he closed the pages of his journal and slipped it inside the drawer of his desk.

Wake Luke. Simple.

With soft footsteps he approached the side of his bed, his hand reached out to shake his arm.

Several moments passed, the wizard unable to actually touch him.

“Goddess, what has happened to me…?” He whispered to himself, instead opting to sit on the edge of the bed where he was sure wouldn't bother the other man.

Why couldn't he do it? Why did he want him to stay? The man was asleep, there was no point in keeping him.

But he couldn't help but admire how peaceful he seemed while sleeping. It seemed like a rare sight, seeing all that fire settled down into a gentle simmer.

From here he could see a few freckles dotting his cheek, and what appeared to be a faded scar just to the side of his eye. The wizard wondered what kind of trouble Luke had gotten himself into for such a poorly placed Injury.

Thoughtlessly, he reached over to brush a few strands of hair away for a better look.

A poor choice on his part, he would now realise.

With his weight shifted forward, he didn't stand a chance against the arm that snaked around his middle and pulled him close.

/Oh goddess./

And just like that, the wizard became more familiar with the neckline of Lukes shirt than he thought he'd ever be.

It was warm- Very /very/ warm. Not only was Luke extremely so, but the Wizards entire body flushed as well.

Oh goddess, what just happened?  
He had to get out of this. If he didn't move soon, he was sure his heart would burst.

Immortals could not be killed, but if there was a way it surely would be this.

He kept telling himself to move, but his body fell still. Was this some sort of curse, that he lost control of his own limbs?

Goddess, this was bad. He had to get out of this somehow. Was there a spell he could cast? Suddenly any and all magic he once knew alluded him. Maybe some sort of teleportation spell? No. He would just find himself in the same position in an even worse location, and without the use of his arms he wouldn't be able to cast it anyway.

All he could manage was to lay there and remember to breathe, but that only made things more confusing.

With every breath, the smell of pine, oak, and sunshine permeated his entire being. The warmth enveloped him and soothed some part of his soul he hadn't realised had fallen cold.

Every breath against the top of his head gave him goosebumps.

He was both being lulled into some sort of slumber, and filled with some sort of energy he couldn't quite place. The wizard felt he could move away now, the power to control his own body returned.

But his heart denied him, his mind too tired to protest.

Eventually whatever power his slumbering friend had cast over him took over. The world fell hazy… soft… warm. Everything faded and eventually stilled. 

 

For the first time in years, the Wizard slept.

\-----------------

The light was annoying, was his first thought.

It was coming in from the wrong direction was his second.

He was extremely comfortable, was his third.

If not for the light blaring in at him from an unusual direction, he probably would have slept a while longer. Pressed up against him was something warm and soft, and the pillows were plush and fragrant.

Like herbs and… coffee.

Quickly, Luke opened his eyes. With some effort, he squinted into the bright morning light, barely making out the details of a house that wasn't his.

But more importantly, he noted the face of someone else only inches from his own.

He must have shifted or something, because it wasn't long before the Wizard stirred in his arms- which he only now realized were around him as well.

Familiar green and yellow orbs peered hazily at him before growing wide.

“Good mornin' Sunshine!” Luke joked quietly. This was a bit of a position to wake up in, yeah. Could be worse, though.

“Sleep well?”

“Get out.”

Luke froze, the Wizards words hitting him like ice.

“Get out?”

“Get out. Now.” The wizard hissed, shoving him away and quickly distancing himself from the bed.

Luke didn't have time to even ask before he was shoved out of the wizards house, boots in hand.

He… had never been kicked out of anywhere before. Was the Wizard mad that he fell asleep? Why didn't he just wake him up? Weren't they on good terms now? He fell asleep first, so that means the Wizard crawled into bed with him by his own decision, right?

Lukes head spun as he settled down on the cold stone walkway to lace up his boots.

Once he was finished, he hopped up and turned back to that familiar purple door, ready to get his answers.

He pulled his hand back and knocked his knuckles against the wood, only to find that it made no sound. More agrressively, he pounded his hand against the door with the same result.

“Yo, what did I do? Just talk to me, man! Why'd you kick me out like that?”

He threw question after question at the door, sure by now that nothing went through.

Eventually, he gave the thing one last kick before shoving his hands in his pockets and heading home.

Hopefully it was early enough that pops wasn't up yet. The shop was closed today, so he would be sleeping in.

He didn't get a chance to check the time before he was thrown out.

By some divine grace, he was able to slip back into his room unnoticed.

He pulled his hand back and knocked his knuckles against the wood, only to find that it made no sound. More agrressively, he pounded his hand against the door with the same result.

“Yo, what did I do? Just talk to me, man! Why'd you kick me out like that?”

He threw question after question at the door, sure by now that nothing went through.

Eventually, he gave the thing one last kick before shoving his hands in his pockets and heading home.

Hopefully it was early enough that pops wasn't up yet. The shop was closed today, so he would be sleeping in.

He didn't get a chance to check the time before he was thrown out.

By some divine grace, he was able to slip back into his room unnoticed.

 

\-----------------

 

If not for the various magics that kept his home from the inevitable deterioration of time, the Wizard was sure he would have paced a circular path around the rug in his front room.

Goddess, what had just happened? 

His heart had refused to cease it's nearly painful flittering since he had opened his eyes as he woke, only to find a warm pair of yellow, sharp as ever and gently wrinkled at the corners either from sleep or the playful smile he wore gazing back at him from only inches away.

His hand would not release the fabric of the shirt that lay atop his chest, sure by now that the smell of pine lingered within it, and utterly frustrated in knowing that he did not want to remove it.

As the man paced he worried his lip between his teeth, eyes wandering over to his crystal ball.

Useless. Wizards cannot read their own fortunes, see their own futures… But-

Hesitantly he crossed the room, placing his fingertips gently upon the smooth polished surface of the orb.

Inside was Luke, home safely. But that was not what he was here for.

Gradually, the flow of time within the crystal sped up and the wizards eyes widened in horror.

Rapidly increasing numbers of moments were blotched out, unreadable, and eventually there was no more to be seen. Everything was muffled and muddled, blacked out like the static of a stormy night.  
He could no longer see Lukes life through his ball because-

Wizards could not see their future-

...or the places where it intersected with others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm very sorry about it taking so long to update this. My life is a mess heh;; but if you want, you can find me on twitter @ crowaionz !! Pls yell at me to work on this more, executive dysfunction is murdering me


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